


Origins

by silvermax



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Family Issues, Loss of Parent(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26294260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvermax/pseuds/silvermax
Summary: A little story about Mako and Bolin's Fire Nation family.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

Zhi and his family weren't rich, but they weren't poor, either. As he called it, they were so-so. He liked it that way. He had a wife, Miyako, and a little girl, Naoki, both of whom he adored.

He knew the Fire Princess, so their children would often play together. They were both little troublemakers, so they suited each other perfectly. While neither child's parents particularly liked finding them covered in paint or mud, it was difficult to stay mad at them.

Over time, they became like siblings, and they fought like it, too. It wasn't uncommon for Zhi to hear his daughter yell, "Daddy! Iroh pushed me into the fountain!"

"Well, Naoki hit me!"

"It was on _accident,_ you jerk!" 

"Liar! You did it on purpose!"

And they'd go on arguing like that for another minute or so. But when they weren't going at it, they could actually be very sweet to each other. And the two were just so young and innocent, without a care in the world.

Zhi and Miyako loved everything about their little girl. Her cheery disposition, her chirpy "good morning", how she hugged everyone she saw, the way she seemed to look at everything with fresh eyes. One night, she fell asleep in his lap, and he looked at her and thought, _I'm so lucky._

Like all children, Naoki grew up. She started school, made new friends. He didn't notice how fast she was growing up, though, until one day when she was about nine. He was walking to school with her, but when they were a few feet away from school property, she said, "Dad, can I go the rest of the way by myself?"

He was taken aback by this. "Why?"

"I...." She looked down, not wishing to hurt her father's feelings. "It's a little..... embarrassing. No offense."

He had to admit, it hurt to hear that. "It's- it's okay." He hugged her goodbye. "Have a good day. I love you."

"Love you, too." She looked over her shoulder to make sure her friends weren't coming.

This was just the first sign that they were drifting apart. She started to spend less time with her parents, preferring to be with her friends instead. At dinner, the conversation was pretty limited. The responses to her parents' questions would mostly be one word: "whatever", "fine", "okay", or what have you. Her interests shifted to makeup and boys, and in the mirror, she would practice little flirting cues, like tossing her head or giggling behind her hand. " _Always_ behind the hand," said her friend, Aimi. "Guys think it's cute when girls do that."

One day, she was about to leave for school, wearing her mother's makeup. Zhi noticed something different about her, even if he couldn't put his finger on it. "Are you wearing makeup?"

She didn't respond. "Wipe that glop off your face, young lady! You're not going to school looking like that!"

She just ignored him and raced out the door.

Her parents knew this was just a part of growing up, but it was still quite shocking. It felt like just the other day that she was a little girl with big golden eyes, dragging around that blanket she'd never let go of. Where had the time gone?

A few years passed. She was sixteen now, and they almost never heard from her. During the week, she was at school, and on the weekends, she would either be out with friends (or a boyfriend), or sleeping. But when either of them _did_ talk to her, it was usually an argument. Over her performance in school, how late she'd been out the previous night. "It's none of your business what I do!" she roared once.

Miyako opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, their daughter was already storming off. "Zhi," she said to her husband. "This is getting out of hand. We need to do something."

"Oh, of course." He cleared his throat. "I'll go talk to her."

So he got up from the table and went to Naoki's room. The door was slightly open, and he could see her sitting on her bed. He tapped on the door frame. "Can I come in?"

Her father didn't _look_ mad, so that was good. "Yeah."

He pushed the door open further, walked in, and sat on her bed with her. "What's going on with you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I just wish you guys didn't try to control me so much."

"Well, we want to make sure you're safe. That's all we want."

"I _know._ But I'm sick of being treated like a little girl."

"Naoki....." He didn't have anything more to say to that, so for a little bit, they sat in silence.

She sighed and rested her head in her hands. "I'm not very happy with where my life is going right now."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel like I could be doing more, you know? I want to...." She tried to phrase it. "I want to get out there and see the world. I want to live a life that I'm happy with so I don't regret it when I'm old and about to die."

He thought he could see traces of the sprightly little girl he once knew. "Well, you're young. You've got plenty of time."

"I know, Dad." He rubbed her shoulder. "And, um... sorry about... you know...."

"It's alright."

* * *

This restlessness didn't go away, though. Throughout her final year of school, she was thinking about packing up and moving, leaving the country. She was starting to hate the Fire Nation, its rigid culture and strict rules. With all this pressure, she felt like she was going to burst if she didn't get out.

Every day, she'd plan it out in her head. After graduation, she would pack her things and get on the next boat, no matter where it took her. And she wouldn't look back.

And so, the night after she graduated, she packed a trunk in her room. She could hardly sleep, thinking about the adventures she would have, the people she'd meet. She could almost see it.

Zhi was surprised to see his daughter carrying her trunk out of her room. "What...."

"I'm leaving."

"Where? You can't just up and leave!" shouted Miyako.

"Anywhere but here. And yes, I can. I'm an adult."

"Where will you live? How will you make money? You didn't think this through, did you?"

"I'll _manage._ "

"You never think _anything_ through! Mark my words, you will end up _broke_ , and living in a _gutter_!"

"I _told_ you, I'll _manage_!"

Zhi sighed. He wanted her to be happy, but this _did_ seem like a risky decision. "Naoki, your mother _does_ have a point."

"I saved up specifically for this. I can go to a hostel, or boardinghouse, until I can afford a more permanent place to live."

They saw her off at the port that day. Her mother was still angry, but grudgingly hugged her goodbye. When she got to her father, he told her, "If you need anything.... money, a place to stay, what have you.... just call me and I'll help you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Love you, too, Dad."

"All aboard to Republic City!"

And with that, she got on the boat and waved goodbye.

Republic City was like nothing she'd ever seen before, with all its different sights and sounds. Everywhere she looked was bustling with activity. Her life here was going to be _exciting._

She spent that afternoon looking in shop windows, exploring, seeing all she could on foot. But as the sun started to set, she got a little worried. _Maybe Mom was right. I should have thought this through._ She needed to find a place to stay, and fast, because she wasn't prepared to sleep on the streets.

After a few hours, and asking for directions from several people, she managed to find a boardinghouse. The lady who owned it was old and rather severe. "We have _rules_ here, little miss," she said after showing her to her room. "No pets, no unannounced visitors, don't break anything, and be on time with the rent. If you don't follow these rules, you can't stay here. It's that simple."

At first, it was exciting, living in a new place and trying out new things. But after a while, it got lonely. She didn't know anyone here. She was halfway across the world from everyone she knew and loved.

She got to know one of the other residents, San. He was from Ba Sing Se, and he seemed very jovial and laid-back. They had some things in common, like being newcomers in this big, fast-paced city, and an eagerness for adventure. Whenever they went out together, it was always fun. Whether it was taking the streetcar through all the different parts of the city, or going on a picnic in the park, she would always feel refreshed and happy afterwards.

Zhi couldn't help but be worried about his daughter. She hadn't written since she'd been gone, and he certainly hoped she was alright. Miyako was still angry with her for running off like that and didn't want to give her money. "The ungrateful little brat."

"She's not being ungrateful."

"Imagine if _you_ wanted to run off to Republic City and leave us! You couldn't do it!"

"She's eighteen. She's still finding herself. I'm sure this is just a part of the journey."

One day, he got a letter from her. He was relieved to hear from her, and when he unfolded the letter, he smiled at the familiar nonchalant tone. "Hey, Dad! I know you're probably worried about me. But I'm doing fine. Great, in fact! I'm in an apartment now (finally). I'm sharing with two other girls. I have a boyfriend, of sorts. His name's...."

Although he missed her terribly still, he was glad that his little girl was happy and safe.

* * *

Naoki hadn't intended for her relationship with San to be much more than a good time, but after they'd been together for about three months, it slowly occurred to her that she was pregnant. Lying in her bed, she thought about this seriously. _Am I ready to be a mother?_

She told San the next day, and for a little bit, he didn't say anything. "What are you going to do?"

"Well.... I'm not sure. But.... I think I want this. Something permanent, that we both share."

A grin spread across his face. "Well, I've always wanted to be a father."

Not long after that, they were married. It wasn't much, just getting a marriage license at the registrar and posing for some pictures in various parts of the city, but they had a good time all the same.

Their child was born, a boy they called Mako. He had his mother's face, and Naoki saw traces of _her_ father when she looked at him. The nose, the serious expression on his face. Upon making this realization, she felt a pang of sadness once again, for her family back home. _I'm sure my parents would be glad to know that they're grandparents._

After months of waiting, Zhi got yet another letter from his daughter, along with a few pictures. They were of a baby that looked a _lot_ like her. "I'm a mother!" she'd written.

The tears sprang to his eyes when he saw that. _I'm a_ grandfather!

He told his wife this, and showed her the pictures. Her expression remained stony, and she scoffed a bit. "I hope she realizes that raising a baby isn't all fun and games."

"Miyako, I'm sure she does. And besides, aren't you happy for her?"

"She chose to ruin her life, and have some _fling_ with who knows _what_ sort of man, so, no." She set the pictures down and pushed them aside. 

The correspondences between Naoki and her father became much more frequent after that. He loved seeing his daughter talk freely about her family, her husband and son and how much she loved them both. "The only way I could be happier right now is if you and Mom could come see me. I miss you," she wrote once.

Zhi and Miyako ended up divorcing, solely over the issue of their daughter. They hadn't thought they'd have to take this step, but Zhi thought this attitude of hers had gotten out of hand.

One day, after the divorce was finalized, Zhi decided to visit her. He hadn't told her about this intended visit, hoping she'd be surprised. Knocking on the door to her apartment, he just hoped she'd answer. When she opened the door, he saw how much she'd changed. She looked less girlish now and more.... grown-up. And through her housecoat, he could see her pregnant belly. "Dad!"

"Hi, honey." He smiled. "Thought I'd drop by and see you."

"Well, come in."

The apartment was pretty small, just a few rooms. He sat with her in the living room, where a little dark-haired toddler was sitting on the floor. "I take it this is Mako?"

"Yeah." She got off the couch and picked up the little boy. "Mako, sweetie, this is your grandpa."

The boy was too young and shy to say anything, so he just clung to his mother. "Hi, there, Mako," said Zhi.

"He's a pretty quiet kid. Didn't give me a whole lot of trouble when he was a baby."

He nodded. "So..... this kid's going to get a sibling, huh?"

"Yeah, in a few months." She patted her belly. "I'm sort of hoping it's a girl, but if it's another boy, that's okay, too."

She leaned back into the couch and sighed. "How's everybody? How's Mom?"

"We're doing alright."

"How is it living by yourself?"

"A little strange, I must admit. Haven't lived by myself in more than twenty years." He chuckled a little. "How are you holding up?"

"Pretty well. The first few months were hard, of course.... but I'm excited about the baby. It kicks a lot these days." Just then, San walked in. "Oh, hey, San, this is my father."

Zhi shook his hand. "Zhi. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. Naoki's told me a lot about you."

"She has?"

"Yes."

Zhi looked at his daughter and her family. The three of them looked so happy together. "If you guys ever need anything, let me know, okay?"

"Okay."

"It was nice meeting you, San." He smiled at his grandson. "And Mako."

Naoki's second child was another boy. He looked more like San, with his big green eyes. This one they named Bolin. They loved both of their sons, and it was a joy to watch them grow up.

Years passed. Mako started school. On his first day, he was eager to tell his parents about what he'd done that day. "I learned how to write my name today, Mommy! Watch this!" And with that, he got out a piece of paper and wrote his name.

"That's wonderful, sweetie!"

One evening, after the children had been put to bed, Naoki sat with her husband in the living room. "I can't believe that seven years ago, I came here with no idea what I was going to do in life."

"And I was the exact same."

"A lot's changed."

"Not _everything_ has." He kissed her cheek. "You're still cute."

She laughed a little. "And you're still silly."

* * *

Zhi hadn't received a letter from his daughter in about a month, and he was getting a bit worried. He knew he probably shouldn't be worried about her because she had a good head on her shoulders, but something told him that something bad had happened.

The only way he could know for sure was if he went out to visit. So he made the trip to Republic City, his stomach churning. _Don't ask a question if you're not ready to hear the answer._

As the streetcar rattled through each neighborhood, he felt a pit in his stomach. Was his daughter alright? Were the children safe? The uncertainty was killing him.

He knocked on the door to their apartment, but the sound was hollow. His heart raced. _Come on.... someone please answer...._ No response. _Well, maybe they're working. And maybe the boys are at school._ _  
_

He knocked once again, and once again, there was no response. He heard footsteps coming towards him, and he turned to see a girl. "Are you looking for San and Naoki?"

"Yes. I'm Naoki's father." _Oh, no._

She looked down, then back at him. "They're.... they're both dead, sir. I'm so sorry."

 _No._ "How did this happen? When was this?"

"A few weeks ago, I think. They got killed."

His heart was sinking. "And their children..... what happened to them? Are they alright?"

"I haven't seen them since."

For a while, he didn't say anything, just stared at the floor. _This can't be happening right now._ Then, nodding towards the girl, he said, "Th- thank you for telling me. I should be going."

Once outside the building, he started to cry. Big, heaving sobs. _My little girl's gone. Forever._

* * *

Every day at the orphanage was long and lonely. The matron ruled over the children with an iron fist and a wooden paddle, and she had little patience for boys, especially firebenders. The brothers were in separate dormitories on account of their ages, so they barely saw each other except at meals and school. But Mako would occasionally catch a glimpse of Bolin playing with the other boys his age and feel a little jealous.

One day, Mako decided that he couldn't take it anymore. The loneliness, the beatings. Kids ran away from home all the time. He'd read it in books. It would be easy, right? He'd grab Bolin when nobody was looking, pack a bag, and head off into the sunset. And perhaps, like the children in those books did, they'd find a nice family to live with. So, when the matron was off yelling at some other poor child, he tugged his brother's arm and said, "Let's get out of here."

"Now?"

"Yes, now! When _else_ would we do it?"

Bolin's lower lip started to tremble, and he immediately felt bad about his tone. "Hey. Bo. Don't cry. I didn't mean it like that. Look, it'll be fun! Like an adventure! Who knows, maybe we'll find some nice people who will take care of us." He tried to make the fantasy seem believable. "And you'll have lots of new toys, and the mom and dad will tuck you in and read you stories, and.... and it'll be just like normal."

"Well..." He looked down. He wasn't so sure about leaving, but his brother was usually right, and this new family _did_ sound nice.... "Okay. I'll go with you."

"Mako," whispered Bolin. "What are we gonna do?"

"Don't worry. We'll figure something out." But as he said that, he wasn't so sure.

The younger boy started to cry. "I want Mommy and Daddy!"

"Sh," whispered Mako. "It's going to be okay."

But the sky was getting darker and the air was getting colder, and he didn't know how long he could keep this up....


	2. Chapter 2

Mako's stomach churned as he twisted the piece of paper with the address on it.  _ So this is where Mom grew up, huh? _

"Man, isn't this exciting?" His brother's voice cut through his reverie. "Who  _ knows  _ who we'll meet?" He let out an excited squeal.

"Bolin, could you stop? I can't hear myself think, and I'd like to figure out where we're even going."

"Ah, gotcha, gotcha. I'll keep my mouth shut now."

But not even a minute had passed when he spoke up again. "What do you think our grandfather's like? Is he all grumpy and old...." He bent over, placed a hand on his back, and did his best impression of an old man. "You little whippersnappers don't know anything. Back in my day...."

"Bolin! What did I just say?"

"Right, right, sorry."

Zhi sat in his living room, head in his hands. Just what the hell would he say to his grandsons? He hadn't seen them in person since they were tiny. To them, it would be like meeting a complete stranger.

In front of him on the table were several pictures of them. Mako clutching a stuffed turtleduck, Bolin with that pacifier in his mouth. And his daughter.... it had been years, but it still hurt. He'd watched her come into the world, tucked her in at night, held her when she cried. She wasn't supposed to die before him. And yet.

The house was still so big and lonely. At least he was somewhat used to it. Just then, he heard a knock.  _ It's them. _

The man who answered the door didn't look particularly old, but he had dark circles under his eyes. "Are you...." Mako looked at the name on the paper. "Zhi?"

"Yes. I take it you two are Mako and Bolin?"

"Yes."

"Come in, come in. I was expecting you."  _ What the hell am I doing? _

A practice he’d picked up from his (now ex) wife was serving tea to guests. A piece of Fire Nation etiquette. Not that he had very many visitors these days. “Hope you boys like jasmine.”

There wasn’t much he could say after that. Bolin was just  _ bursting  _ with excitement. “Oh, man, I have  _ so  _ many questions!”

He let out a sigh of relief.  _ Oh, phew. Someone else is doing the talking.  _ “Ask away.”

Bolin attempted to gather his racing thoughts. “Okay. First question. Do we have a grandmother?”

“Yes, you do. But we’re….” He looked away. “.....not together anymore.”

“Okay…. and do we have any aunts? Uncles? Cousins? Because on our dad’s side, we have more than twenty cousins!”

“ _ Twenty.  _ Wow. Um…. no, we didn’t have any other children, just… your mother.” It felt strange, referring to his daughter like that. As the mother of these young men.

“Aw, man.” He looked back up. “What was Mom like as a kid? Was she a wet blanket like Mako or…..”

“Bolin, give the man a break.” Then, turning to his grandfather, he said, “Sorry. He can talk your ear off sometimes.”

“No, no, it’s alright. I miss having somebody talk my ear off.” He chuckled a little, although he felt a great pang of sadness remembering the loss of his daughter. “Now to answer your question….” He sighed. “That girl was a little ray of sunshine. She hugged everybody she met, she was always saying hello to people. But when she got older- well- she was a bit of a spitfire.” 

“Oooh, fascinating,” said Bolin. “Tell me more.”

“One day, when she was about eighteen, she ran off to Republic City. Just out of nowhere. She never came back, but she told us all about her life over there- her husband, you two.” He remembered holding the toddler Mako in his lap. “She loved you both a lot, and she really did seem happy. But, um….” He cleared his throat and blinked back the tears he knew were coming. “She stopped answering my letters, so…. I came out to visit, and I found out she and…. your father…. were dead.”

And now the tears were coming out. He wiped his eyes. “Wait a minute,” said Mako. “You knew our parents were dead,  _ and  _ you knew where we lived, and you didn’t  _ do _ anything?”

There was the guilt again, the guilt that ate him alive every day. “I’m sorry. Nobody knew where you were. I thought you were dead, too.”

“You could have asked or  _ something _ !” His eyes started to sting as he remembered the orphanage they’d run away from, the gnawing feeling of his empty stomach most nights. Fuck, was he about to  _ cry?  _ He almost  _ never  _ cried. It didn’t do you any good on the streets, anyways. “We spent our whole childhood on the  _ streets _ !”

“I know. I could have saved you so many years. I’m so, so sorry.”

Now he was crying for real. Bolin, just now noticing, hugged him. He’d never seen his brother cry before. It was a little strange, seeing him like that. “Hey. On the bright side, we have family now. We have people looking out for us.”

He looked towards his grandfather, who was just watching. “Bring it in, Grandpa.”

So, feeling rather awkward still, he joined the hug. After a bit, Mako wiped his eyes and shook his head. “Okay, you two can…. let me go now.” 

So they parted. Zhi gave him a small smile. “I know I can’t make up for what you two had to go through, but I’m here now. And that’s what matters. He nodded towards his older grandson. “You know, you remind me of me as a young man.”

“I…. I do?”

“Yes.” He shifted a little in his seat. “So I suppose it’s my turn to ask questions. What all have you two been up to?”

“It’s a really long story. I’m sure you….” 

“Glad you asked!” exclaimed Bolin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go! Man, I love these boys so much.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew, this got long as hell. Might add a bonus chapter where Mako and Bolin get to meet their grandfather.


End file.
